Reed trimmer



J. MILLER REED TRIMMER March 1938.

Filed April 28, 1957 WITNESS Patented Mar. 1,1938 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REED TRIMMER Jules Miller, Camden, N. J.

Application April 28, 1937, Serial No. 139,618

1 Claim. (Cl. 30-229) This invention relates to reed trimmers, and of the plate by slots 3 formed in the latter, and its general object is to provide a device of that while one of the ends of the arms is integral character for cutting or trimming the reeds of with the body, their opposite ends are free and wind musical instruments, such as clarinets, enlarged, as well as curved as at 4 in convexed 5 saxophones and the like, to restore the tip of formation, to cooperate with concaved edges 5 the reeds to their proper shape or curvature, in of the body to set up a shearing action, it being an easy and expeditious manner, and with minobvious that the concave and convex portions proimum effort on the part of the user. vide cutting edges, as clearly shown in Figures A further object is to provide a reed trimmer 2 and 3. The cutting arms or members 2 are l that is capable of cutting reeds of various sizes normally spaced at an outward inclination with 10 for use with different instruments, such as a B respect to the plane of the body, as shown in flat clarinet, an E flat alto saxophone, a B flat Figure 2, and will be noted from Figure 1, that tenor saxophone and an E flat baritone saxothe arms are of different widths, while the comphone, thereby overcoming the necessity of empanion cutting edges 4 and 5 are of different l ploying a plurality of trimmers, one for the reed lengths, to provide cutting means for reeds of 15 i 30 inafter fully described, illustrated in the accom- 35 in like characters denote like or corresponding of each instrument, which of course is a handicap various sizes for use with different instruments, on a musician who plays all of the instruments the cutting means on the extreme left hand side mentioned, as he must possess and maintain a of Figure l being for use on a reed for a B flat number 0f trimmers fOr use, When necessary OI clarinet, the one next thereto for a reed for an desired. E flat alto saxophone, the next for a reed for a 20 A further object is t0 provide a trimmer. that B flat tenor saxophone and the last for a reed is capable of performing its intended function for anE nat baritone saxophone. for a prolonged period of time, without damage or Cooperating with the arms fol` moving the breakage thereto, is simple in construction, inoonvexed Cutting edges in shearing assoootion expensive to manufacture and extremely efficient with the ooncaved Cutting edges, is al lever mem 25 in Operation' use and Servber 6 that is co-extensive with the length of the This invention also consists in certain other body plate and is bent upon itself to form a features of construction and in the combination Channel ond companion Clamping portions 1 and and arrangement of the several parts, to be here- 8 for clamping association with the opposite sides of the body plate, the portions being of a width to extend beyond the cutting edges 4, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The lever is pivotally secured to the body plate adjacent one end thereof, by a pivot pin 9, for movement as will be apparent, and thel clamping portion 8 is outwardly flared as at Ill along the entire length thereof, for the purpose of receiving and guiding the cutting edges 4 toward the cutting edges 5 to provide panying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing whereparts throughout the several views, and in which: Figure 1 is a front View of the trimmer which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken approximate- 40 ly on line 2 2 of Figure l, looking in the direction the shearing action' as Wm be obvious upon in' 40 of the arrows and illustrates my trimmer in use. Spectlon of Flgure 3' Figure 3 is e. vernam sectional view with the In the use 0f my tllmmef a feed Such as 1m11- lever membern Closed position cated by the letter A is dlsposed against the Referring to the drawing in detail, the referproper Cuttmg arm as Shown 1n Figure 2 with ence numeral indicates the body of my trimthe tip thereof extending beyond the cutting 4,5

mer which as shown is in the form of a reetanguedge 4. The lever 6 is then moved to closed posilar plate that is relatively thin, and made from tion, which will result in the outwardly flared any material suitable for the purpose, such as IJOltOn 01 flange l0 engaging and IIlOVing the Swedish spring steel. The plate is preferably erm between the Clamping DOTOnS and the Cutprovided with round corners as shown, ting edge 4 thereof then cooperates with its com- 50 The plate is stamped or cut in any well known DanOn Cutting edge 5 t0 Shear the tip, aS Will manner to provide cutting arms 2 extending be apparent, consequently it will be seen that transversely thereof and disposed in equi-disthe reed is accurately trimmed to provide a tip tantly spaced relation with respect to each other. of the proper shape and curvature. The sides of the arms 2 are spaced from the body It is thought from the foregoing description 55 operation therewith, said arms being normally inclined for disposal at an angle to the plane of the body plate, a clamping lever (so-extensive with the length of the body plate and channeled to provide clamping portions for fitting association with the opposite sides thereof, an outwardly flared ange formed on one clamping portion and engageable with the arms for disposing the latter between the clamping portions to move the convexed cutting edges in cutting position 10 with the concaved cutting edges to provide a shearing action.

JULES MILLER. 

